1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plant operation apparatus and plant operation training simulator apparatus for authenticating an operator using living-body communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
One conventional authentication system widely used in an information terminal, such as a personal computer, is a method in which a user is identified by entering a password. Furthermore, in recent years, a method has been developed and actually used in which a user wearing a portable device storing data for authentication touches a touch electrode to be authenticated through living body (human body) communication.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an authentication system configured such that, when a user wearing a human-body side communication device touches a touch electrode of a display device, data for authentication stored in the human-body side communication device is loaded into the display device and authentication is performed.
In contrast, in a conventional plant operation apparatus, authentication for identifying an operator is not performed. Also, in a conventional plant operation training simulator apparatus, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, used for plant operation training, authentication for identifying an operator is not performed.    [Patent Document 1] JP-A-2009-181540    [Patent Document 2] JP-A-2001-142384
As above, in a conventional plant operation apparatus, authentication of an operator is not performed. So, it is impossible to find out who operated the plant operation apparatus. Due to this, even a person who is not qualified to operate the plant operation apparatus may operate the apparatus, which is a problem from the safety viewpoint. Furthermore, when plural operators operated the plant operation apparatus in relays and a plant anomaly occurred due to an incorrect operation, it is difficult to find out who performed the incorrect operation.
Furthermore, the plant operation training simulator apparatus is used for skill test for plant operator qualification as well as operation training. In a conventional skill test, plural operators (trainees) operate the apparatus in relays, and who performed what operation is identified only by visual observation by an instructor present at the test. So, in order to evaluate the test results accurately and fairly, it is necessary to objectively identify the operators who performed operation.
However, for an apparatus, such as a plant operation apparatus and plant operation training simulator apparatus, that is operated by plural operators in relays and needs to be promptly operated according to the situation, it is difficult to apply a conventional authentication method. For example, in a conventional authentication method using a password or living-body communication, once one operator succeeds in login, another operator can take over operation without another login. So, it is impossible to identify an operator who operated the apparatus. Furthermore, password entering takes time, which increases the workload for an operator and may obstruct emergency operation.